Species

Thelymitra malvina

Etymology

Thelymitra: woman's hat

Common Name(s)

Mauve Sun Orchid

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Non Resident Native - Coloniser

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

Qualifiers

2012 - EF, SO
2009 - SO

Authority

Thelymitra malvina M.A.Clem., D.L.Jones et Molloy

Family

Orchidaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Orchids

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Indigenous. North Island where known locally from the North Cape area, Ahipara Gumfields, Kaimaumau and Lake Ohia wetlands near Kaitaia and from Ngawha Springs near Kaikohe. Common in eastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

Habitat

Open ground within peat bogs and wetlands, nearly always found in association with rotting kauri (Agathis australis (D.Don) Lindl.) logs.

Similar Taxa

Thelymitra malvina has no close relatives in New Zealand. The tall stout but slender scape and mauve to slate blue flowers with mauve to pink mop-like cilia tufts on the lateral lobes are very distinctive. In New Zealand Thelymitra malvina usually has > 5 flowers per scape and these characteristically all open at the same time. Its nearest relative is the Australian endemic T. atronitida Jeanes from which it differs by the usually three rather than two sterile bracts, larger mostly insect-pollinated rather than autogamous flowers, dark reddish brown rather than glossy black post anther lobes, and mauve or pink rather than white lateral lobe cilia.

Flowering

(September-) October (-November)

Flower Colours

Blue,Violet / Purple

Fruiting

October - January

Propagation Technique

Not in cultivation. A strongly mycorrhizal species which should not be removed from the wild

Threats

Plant collectors are a constant problem because it is a conspicuous orchid with very attractive flowers. It is threatened at many sites by invasive weeds, changes to the local water table, and removal of swamp kauri logs for furniture making. However, it is also reasonably secure at several sites and indications are that it actively spreading in suitable habitats throughout Northland

Chromosome No.

2n = 26

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 April 2007. Description subsequently published in Rolfe & de Lange (2010). See also Jeanes (2004).